The vests - already dubbed a 'girdle for men' - promise to do for men's expanding stomachs and chests what control pants have done for the female derriere.

The &pound 49 vests are made from polyester, spandex and nylon to 'visibly streamline' the male body, beer belly and all.

They are designed to give men a leaner silhouette under a slim-line suit, or even to help correct poor posture.

David Walker Smith, Selfridges' director of menswear, said: 'With fashion becoming slimmer and male figures becoming fuller, control undergarments are an ideal way of allowing men to carry on enjoying a six pack, without losing their own.'

The vests and T-shirts, made by Australian manufacturer Equmen, are already on sale in the U.S. and Australia, and have been launched here this year as statistics show that British men are more likely to be overweight than women.

One in four men are currently overweight in the UK, compared to one in three women, and the numbers have risen steadily over the last 20 years.

The new control underwear has already won support from former England footballer Les Ferdinand, who described the undershirt as 'a pretty miraculous product'.

A Selfridges spokeswoman said the store was hoping its male customers were ready for the idea of control underwear.

She said: 'It's a very tight-fitting T-shirt, so it's not like we're asking men to wear a bra. It's quite inoffensive.

'We've never stocked male control-wear before, so it will be a test. It may be that women will buy them for men, until men become more familiar with it.